The success of DSL and other high-speed internet connections suggests that, over time, as the subscriber base grows, the technical sophistication of the typical high-speed subscriber will diminish. DSL service is penetrating into less technically savvy market segments. Major providers of DSL service are receiving more and more support calls each day that are termed “out-of-scope.” “Out-of-scope” refers to service requests that do not deal with basic Internet connectivity problems.
Many companies, from PC manufacturers and retailers to large phone companies to small companies with a web site presence, service the out-of-scope market primarily with knowledgeable call center personnel. One of the most sensitive variables in the call center business model is average call minutes per year of a subscriber. Reducing the average call minutes with preventative/proactive checks promises to radically improve the profitability of offering the call center service.
Call centers use knowledge management databases to provide manual technical support, and client side tools run on a stand-alone basis to provide some service capabilities. Some providers have a system support tool (“SST”) for its DSL customer base, which runs diagnostics to find problems. Typically, such a tool is coded to handle only a small set of specific problems, and is not sufficiently intelligent, flexible, or versatile to make decisions based on a highly dynamic knowledge base that is updated frequently.
For instance, at least one service provider presently deploys an SST that runs diagnostics for connectivity and e-mail issues. The tests performed by the SST are all rolled up into a “diagnostic code” that is communicated to back-end systems. The SST, however, does not coordinate the solutions with a knowledge management database and a system profile log.
Commercial PC diagnostic utility suites presently available include Norton SystemWorks® and the VCOM Communication Suite® They run as stand-alone utilities and attempt to monitor potential problems such as virus infection, adware or spyware presence, system resources utilization, and so forth. These applications run proactively in an effort to identify and resolve problems before they cause more trouble for the end-user.
On the other end of the spectrum are subscription-based PC support contracts. This approach strives to solve the problem by throwing bodies at it. Customers call in, get a service rep, and the rep must speak with the customer to identify the problem. The rep then walks the customer through the process of fixing it. Rarely, the rep will use a remote access tool (with the caller's permission) to take over the PC and fix the problem directly, but no diagnostic results are available and used to find a resolution.
In summary, there are utilities, and there are paid PC support call centers, but there is nothing that effectively combines both aspects of support. The tools and processes described herein combine a proactive on-board diagnostic tool with the skills of a knowledge base and/or call center rep, should the customer ultimately have to call for help to get the problem resolved.
The present invention leverages all of the detailed system information, including detected errors, software configuration, and the like, and correlates that information to the latest available fixes in a knowledge management database to empower a customer service representative with the information needed to expedite a resolution to a customer's problem.
Accordingly, the present invention provides tools, methods and systems for managed PC services. An advantage of the present invention, beyond improved subscriber service, is that DSL providers may monetize out-of-scope calls for an enhanced bottom line.